Cavalry beat Pacific 4-2 in a six-goal thriller at ATCO Field
Photo by Lawrence Meyer / Provectus Media
CALGARY — Cavalry FC and Pacific FC traded goals, penalties and momentum all afternoon at ATCO Field on Saturday, and when it finally settled, Cavalry had a 4-2 win in front of their home crowd.
Pacific struck first, and early. Mattias Vales finished clinically in the ninth minute, set up by Marco Bustos, to stun the home crowd and give the visitors a 1-0 lead.
Cavalry's answer took three minutes. Captain Daan Klomp headed home in the 12th minute, with the assist credited to Bradley Kamdem, to level the score — and the hosts were ahead before the game was 20 minutes old.
Cavalry were awarded a penalty in the 17th minute when a Cavalry player was taken down in the box with the ball. The play went to video review, Pacific challenged the call, the challenge was unsuccessful, and Tobias Warschewski converted from the spot to make it 2-1.
Pacific refused to go away. Bustos, who had set up the opener, converted a penalty of his own in the 44th minute to pull the visitors level at 2-2, capping a first half that had already seen four goals and two penalties.
Cavalry still had one more answer before the break. Kamdem scored in first-half stoppage time to send Cavalry into halftime ahead 3-2.
The penalties were not done. Juan Quintana was shown a yellow card in the 50th minute, and a minute later Ali Musse converted Cavalry's second penalty of the afternoon to restore the two-goal cushion at 4-2.
Pacific pushed to get back in it, but the two-goal margin held. At the other end, Eleias Himaras kept it from getting worse, making a big stop from close range in the second half to deny Cavalry a fifth.
The numbers told the story of Cavalry's day. Pacific held 59.5 percent of possession and out-passed Cavalry 422 to 281, but Cavalry outshot them 12-8, won the expected-goals count 2.76 to 1.55, and put five shots on target to Pacific's three.
The win was Cavalry's 17th of the season, and it matters beyond the three points. Forge FC won 2-1 at Atlético Ottawa earlier in the day, so both clubs sit on 57 points — Cavalry ahead on goal difference, plus-34 to plus-27.
The Shield will be decided next Sunday, Oct. 25, when Cavalry host Vancouver FC at ATCO Field on the league's final day and Forge visit Pacific. Cavalry are already guaranteed a top-two finish, with Ottawa locked into third, and the home leg of their semifinal on Nov. 7 or 8.
This recap is brought to you in part by Animas Painting — interior and exterior painting in Calgary. Reach Rafael at 403-604-5529.